Momentary contact adapter for auxiliary switch



May 5, 1959 v I WALLv MOMENTARY CONTACT ADAPTER FOR AUXILIARY SWITCHFiled Nov. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. J4 W0 4- W441.

Arrae/vzzr May 5, 1959 D. A. WALL 2,885,500

MOMENTARY CONTACT ADAPTER FOR AUXILIARY SWITCH Filed Nov. 14, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. v. DAV/0 A. M4411 United States PatentMOMENTARY CONTACT ADAPTER FOR AUXILIARY SWITCH David A. Wall, LosAngeles, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to I-T-E CircuitBreaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication November 14, 1957, Serial No. 696,559

7 Claims. (Cl. 200-6) My invention relates to a mechanism for adapting arotary type switch having a plurality of axially arranged contactmembers with an auxiliary contact for a single momentary make during thecomplete operating cycle of the switch.

There are many applications of a ganged type switch where it isdesirable to have at least one of the contacts perform a momentary makeat one point within the complete cycle of the switch. By way of anexample, certain types of reclosing relays require the momentaryenergization of a starting or pick-up circuit.

In the past, it has been necessary to install special sepa ratemomentary contact switches for this purpose. This arrangement createsdifliculties primarily in synchronizing the operation of the momentarycontact switch and the other contact of the switch arrangement andfurthermore, is costly in both manufacture and installation.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a novel adaptionmechanism for a rotary type switch of standard manufacture whichperforms a momentary make at some predetermined point Within a completeoperating cycle of the switch.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel switch arrangementwhich provides a plurality of contacts and an auxiliary momentarycontact which performs a momentary make operation at a predeterminedpoint within the operating cycle and is directly operable from the sameoperating shaft that operates the standard contacts.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a ganged rotaryswitch having a momentary make contact where the simplicity of designmakes it easily mass-produced at low cost. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel momentary makecontact adapter for rotary type switches which may be easily added tostandard switches.

These and other objects of my invention will become a portion from theoperating description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a rotary type switch adapted inaccordance with my novel invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the momentary make contactadaption of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 1 and shows the momentary makecontact at the beginning of the switch operating cycle and in thedisengaged position.

Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3 and shows the momentary make contactmoved from the position of Figure 3 to a make position.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 and shows the momentary make contactwhen moved from the make position of Figure 4 to a disengaged positionat the end of the first-half cycle of switch operation.

Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5 and shows the momentary contact positionwhen the contact has been moved from the open position of Figure 5 andthrough the contact position of the second cycle without causing re-2,885,500 Patented May 5, .1959

engagement between the cooperating momentary make contacts.

As will be seen hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of my inventioncomprises the addition of an adaptor member to a standard switchmechanism which is rotatable from the rotating contact for at least aportion of the rotation of the rotatable contact.

More specifically at the beginning of a switch operating cycle, therotating momentary make contact is rotated into engagement with asemi-stationary cooperating contact, and as the rotating contactcontinues to rotate out of the engaged position, it picks up the adaptormember and causes the adaptor member to move the semi-stationary contactto a position removed from the contact engaging position. When therotating contact is then rotated back to its original position, theadaptor member is unaffected so that the rotating contact passes by thesemi-stationary contact without engaging it. After the rotating contactpasses the contact engaging point, it once again picks up the adaptormember and allows the semistationary contact to move back to theengaging position for the next cycle.

Referring now to Figure 1, a complete switch assembly is seen therein ascomprising a plurality of insulator plate sections 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28which are fastened together by means of a nut-bolt arrangement 30 and 32on either side of the switch wherein the bolts are terminated at therear-end of the switch housing.

A contact assembly comprised of a pair of semi-stationary contacts suchas semi-stationary contacts 34 and 36 are positioned between eachadjacent pair of insulator plates. Since this type of construction iswell known in the art, it will not be discussed more fully hereinafter.It is sufiicient to understand that each of the contact pairs on theinterior of the switch are positioned to cooperate with rotatablecontact elements such as contact elements 38 and 40 which are mounted oninsulating discs 42 and 44 and are rotatable on shaft 46.

Thus, when the shaft 46 is rotated, contacts 38 and 40 which may beshaped as rotatable contact 48 of Figures 1 and 2 move protrudingcontact lobes into engagement with a respective semi-stationary contactpositioned in the same plane as the plane which contains the rotatablecontact.

Each of the semi-stationary contacts as best seen in Figures 1 and 2 arecomprised of contact fingers 34 and 36. Each of the contact fingers haveslots such as slots 50 and 52 therein which slots cooperate withprotrusions 54 and 56 respectively of the stationary terminals 58 and 60respectively. Stationary terminals 58 and 60 are then rigidly heldwithin the molded switch casing as is seen in Figure 1 and in view ofthe cooperation between slots 50 and 52 of contact fingers 34 and 36protrusions 54 and 56, contact fingers 34 and 36 are removably andpivotally mounted with respect to the switch housing.

Each of the contact fingers 34 and 36 are further provided withprotrusions 62 and 64 which extend within the inner diameter of biasingsprings 66 and 68 respectively. The other end of biasing springs 66 and68 then bear against the molded switch housing so as to exert a biasingforce on the spring fingers 34 and 36 which tends to drive their upperends toward one another.

In the above description, it is to be understood that this is only onetype of semi-stationary contact construction which could be utilized ina switch adapted with my novel invention. It is to be further understoodthat this construction may be standard for each section of the switch.That is to say, the same type of contact construction may be used forthe switch members positioned between each adjacent insulator plate 20,22, 24, 26 and 28.

A further standard component for the switch is the above describedrotatable contact element 48 of Figure ice 2. This contact element inthe illustrative embodiment of my invention is comprised of circularcontact body having protruding contact lobes 70 and 72. The rotatablecontact element is held within an-insulating. casing 74 which hasnotches 76 and 78 therein for receiving each of lobes 70 and 72respectively. The retaining disc 80 is then pressed on top of thecontact element 48 to rigidly retain it within casing 74.

In order to rotate contact element 48- so that lobes 7'0 and 72 may bebrought into engagement with respect to their. semi-stationary,contacts, the inner diameter of casing 74 is knurled as at numeral 82.This knurled section cooperates with a corresponding knurl on shaft 46to secure the shaft to the casing. Clearly, however, shaft 46 could besecured to thebase of casing 74 in any desired manner.

Each of the normally used contact elementsof theswitch of Figure 1areoperated into and. out of engagement responsive to the rotation of asingle shaft 46. within the single switch unit, it is desired to movecertain of the contact elements to-the engaged position and at the sametime move others to a disengaged position,v

then it is only necessary to angularly displace the position of thelobes of the contactelements with respect to one another.

Because of the inherent properties of a rotatable'type switch unit suchas the one described above, it has not been possible to have any one ofthe contact elements perform a momentary make operation only oncethroughouta complete switch operating cycle. That is, it is possible todisplace one particular contact with respect to the. others so thatwhenthe switch shaft 46 is rotated to a first position, the contactWillsweep past itscooperating stationary contacts for a first makeoperation. When, however, the rotatable shaft 46 is rotated intheoppositedirection to complete the switch operatingcycle, themomentary contact will make once again to thereby re-energize themomentary make circuit which in many applications would be prohibitive.

The essence of the instant invention is to provide a construction whichwould allow only the first make operation but would prevent the secondmake operation when the switch is rotated to complete the switchoperating cycle.

My novel invention may be applied to the above described standard switchunit by the mere addition of a single momentary contact adaptor 84 whichis comprised of a cylindrical member having flattened side portions 86and 88 and slotted portions 90 and 92. Ring 84 which is preferably ofinsulating material has an outside diameter which is larger than thedistance from the ends of the two lobes 70. and 72 while the depth ofnotches 90 and 92 are substantially equal in depth to the thickness ofcontact lobes 70 and 72in an axial direction. The inner diameter of ring84 is then largeenough to receive the outer diameter of casing 74 in arotatable manner with the inner surfaces of lobes 70 and 72 riding onthe outer surfaces ofnotches 90 and 92respectively.

Accordingly, when shaft 46 is rotated, the contact ring 48 will rotateindependently of ring 84 until lobes 70 and 72 pick-up the shoulders ofnotches 90-and 92 at which time ring 84 will rotate with contact ring 48and shaft 46.

The operation of my novel adaption unitmay be best understood withreference to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 whichv show afront view of theswitchof Figuresl and 2m various operating positions.

Figure 3 shows the switch of Figure 1 at thebeginrting,

of its operating cycle where the momentary make-cone tact lobes 7t) and72 are in a disengaged position with' respect tosemiastationary'contacts 34 and 36. The semi.- stationary contacts34and36 in this position arebiased against fiat sections 86 and 88 of mynovel adaptordisc 84 andat this point shaft 46-is rotated inaicounter-clockwisedirection to begin the-switch. operating cycle.

It is to be clearly noted that at this point, contact lobes 70 and 72bear against shoulders 94 and 96 respectively and notches and 92respectively.

When the shaft 46 is rotated in counter-clockwise direction, lobes 70and 72 move into engagement with respect to semi-stationary contacts 34and 36 as seen in Figure 4. Thus, a current path is set up fromstationary terminal 58,- contact finger 34, contact lobe 78, ring 48,contact lobe 72, contact finger 36 and stationary terminal 60.Accordingly, a circuit connected in series with stationary terminals 58and 60 will be energized.

As the switch shaft 46 continues to be rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection as shown in Figure 4 to place the other operation switchcontacts in their desired position, the ring adaptor. 84 of Figure 4will be moved to the position shown in Figure 5 since when in theposition of Figure 4, the contact lobes 7t and 72 pick-up shoulders 98and 106 respectively to ring 84 to cause ring 84'torotate with shaft 46.Accordingly, whenthe switch reaches the end of the first half of theoperating cycle, the adaptor ring 34 will have been rotated to theposition of Figure 5 where the semi-stationary contactmembers 34 and 36are pressed outwardly and against the. biasing action of biasing springs66 and 68 to a position where contact engagement with respect to lobes70' and 72 would be impossible if the lobes were in a horizontal and anengageable position.

At this time, the other various contact elements of the switch unit havebeen moved to their desired make or break position. When it is desiredto reverse the switch action and to complete the second half of theswitch operating cycle, it is now desired to preventthe momentary makecontact operation.

This is achieved as seen when going from the position of Figure 5. tothe position of Figure 6 where the contact lobes 70 and 72 are free torotate within notches 9t and 92 respectively until they reach at leastthe horizontaland contact engageable position. However, since in goingfrom the position of Figure 5 to the position of Figure 6; therotatable, contact moves independently of adaptor disc 84, the outerdiameter of adaptor disc 84 remains in engagement with semi-stationarycontacts 34 and 36 to prevent a contact engagement between the contactlobes 70 and 72- and the stationary contacts 34 and 36. Accordingly, themomentary make operation The primary feature of my novel invention asabove' described is that a single unit such as adaptor disc 84 may-beeasily applied to an existing switch unit and thus providea contactelement which performs a momentary make operation only one time within acomplete operating cycle.

As described above, the momentary make is achieved in the middle of thefirst half cycle of switch operation. However, it is obvious to anyoneskilled in the art that the point of momentary make operation can.beeasily controlled by adjusting the initial position of disc84 andtherelationship between notches 90 and 92 and flats86 and.

obvious. Accordingly, I prefer to be bound not by the specificdisclosure herein but. only by the appending.- claims.

I claim:

1. In a switch device having a plurality of axially arranged pairs ofstationary and rotatably movable con tacts; each of said rotatablymovable contacts being rotatably movable into and out of engagement withtheir said respective stationary contact; one of said pairs ofstationary and rotatable contacts being constructed to have a momentarymake once throughout the switch operating cycle; said momentary makestationary contact being movable from a contact engaging position to acontact disengaged position; said momentary make rotatable contacthaving an adaptor member associated therewith and rotatable with respectthereto for at least a portion of the rotation of said rotatablecontact; said adaptor member being positionable by a predeterminedrotation of said momentary make rotatable contact to operatively engagesaid momentary make stationary contact to move said momentary makestationary contact to its said contact disengaged position to therebydefeat contact engagement between said momentary make stationary androtatable contacts.

2. In a switch device having a plurality of axially arranged pairs ofstationary and rotatably movable contacts; each of said rotatablymovable contacts being rotatably movable into and out of engagement withtheir said respective stationary contact; one of said pairs ofstationary and rotatable contacts being constructed to have a momentarymake once throughout the switch operating cycle; said momentary makestationary contact being movable from a contact engaging position to acontact disengaged position; said momentary make rotatable contacthaving an adaptor member associated therewith and rotatable therewithfor at least a portion of the rotation of said rotatable 'contact;'saidadaptor member'being positionably by a predetermined rotation of saidmomentary make rotatable contact to operatively engage said momentarymake stationary contact to move said momentary make stationary contactto its said contact disengaged position to thereby defeat contactengagement between said momentary make stationary and rotatablecontacts; said momentary make rotatable contact initially rotatingindependently of said adaptor member and engaging said momentary makestationary contact and thereafter moving said adaptor member to movesaid momentary make stationary contact to said contact disengagedposition; said momentary make rotatable contact being thereafterincapable of re-engaging said momentary make stationary contact when theswitch cycle is completed by moving said momentary make rotatablecontact past said momentary make stationary contact a second time.

3. A momentary make contact arrangement for achieving momentary makebetween a semi-stationary contact and a rotatable contact once in aswitch cycle; said semistationary contact having an engaging anddisengaged position; said rotatable contact being rotatable intoengagement with respect to said semi-stationary contact when saidsemi-stationary contact is in said engaging position; an adaptor memberconstructed to be rotated responsive to a predetermined rotation of saidrotatable contact; said adaptor member being rotatable into engagementwith said semi-stationary contact to move said semi-stationary contactto said disengaged position; rotation of said rotatable contact in afirst direction being independent of said adaptor member until saidrotatable contact engages said semi-stationary contact and thereaftermoving said adaptor member into said operative engagement with saidsemi-stationary contact to move said semi-stationary contact to saiddisengaged position; said rotatable contact moving said adaptor memberfrom said operative engagement with said semi-stationary contact whensaid rotatable contact is moved in an opposite direction and after saidrotatable contact is moved past said semi-stationary contact.

4. A momentary make contact arrangement for achieving momentary makebetween a semi-stationary contact and a rotatable contact once in aswitch cycle; said semistationary contact having an engaging anddisengaged position; said rotatable contact being rotatable intoengagement with respect to said semistationary contact when saidsemi-stationary contact is in said engaging position; an adaptor memberconstructed to be rotated responsive to a predetermined rotation of saidrotatable contact; said adaptor member being rotatable into engagementwith said semi-stationary contact to move said semistationary contact tosaid disengaged position; rotation of said rotatable contact in a firstdirection being independent of said adaptor member until said rotatablecontact engages said semi-stationary contact until said rotatable andsemi-stationary contacts engage and thereafter moving said adaptormember into said operative engagement with said semi-stationary contactto move said semi-stationary contact to said disengaged position; saidrotatable contact moving said adaptor member from said operativeengagement with said semi-stationary contact when said rotatable contactis moved in an opposite direction and after said rotatable contact ismoved past said semi-stationary contact; said adaptor member comprisinga disc having an outer radius larger than the radius of said rotatablecontact; said disc having flattened sides with notches therein; saidrotatable contact being freely rotatably movable within said notch andpicking-up said disc for rotation therewith when said rotatable contactengages on shoulder of said notch; said outer radius and said flattenedportion of said disc being engageable with said semi-stationary contactto move said semi-stationary contact to said disengaged and engagingposition respectively.

5. A momentary make contact arrangement for achieving momentary makebetween a semi-stationary contact and a rotatable contact once in aswitch cycle; said semistationary contact having an engaging anddisengaged position; said rotatable contact being rotatable intoengagement with respect to said semi-stationary contact when saidsemi-stationary contact is in said engaging position; an adaptor memberconstructed to be rotated responsive to a predetermined rotation of saidrotatable contact; said adaptor member being rotatable into engagementwith said semi-stationary contact to move said semi-stationary contactto said disengaged position; rotation of said rotatable contact in afirst direction being independent of said adaptor member until saidrotatable contact engages said semi-sationary contact until saidrotatable and semi-stationary contacts engage and thereafter moving saidadaptor member into said operative engagement with said semi-stationarycontact to move said semi-stationary contact to said disengagedposition; said rotatable contact moving said adaptor member from saidoperative engagement with said semi-stationary contact when saidrotatable contact is moved in an opposite direction and after saidrotatable contact is moved past said semi-stationary contact; saidadaptor member comprising a disc having an outer radius larger than theradius of said rotatable contact; said disc having flattened sides withnotches therein; said rotatable contact being freely rotatably movablewithin said notch and picking-up said disc for rotation therewith whensaid rotatable contact engages one shoulder of said notch; said outerredius and said flattened portion of said disc being engageable withsaid semi-stationary contact to move said semi-stationary contact tosaid disengaged and engaging position respectively; said semi-stationarycontacts being biased into engagement with said outer radius and saidflattened portion of said disc.

6. In a switch device having a plurality of axially arranged pairs ofstationary and rotatably movable contacts; each of said rotatablymovable contacts being rotatably movable into and out of engagement withtheir said respective stationary contact; one of said pairs ofstationary and rotatable contacts being constructed to have a momentarymake once throughout the swtich operating cycle; said momentary makestationary contact being movable from a contact engaging position to acontact disengaged position; said momentary make rotatable contacthaving an adaptor member associated therewith and rotatabletherewith forat least a portion ofthe rotation of said rotatable contact; saidadaptor member being positionable by a predetermined rotation of saidmomentary make rotatable contact to operatively engage said momentarymake stationary contact to its'said contact disengaged position tothereby defeat contact engagement between said momentary make stationaryand rotatable contacts; said adaptor member comprising a disc having anouter radius larger than the radius of said rotatable contact; said dischaving flattened sides with notches therein; said rotatable contactbeing freely rotatably movable within said notch and picking up saiddisc for rotation therewith when said rotatable contact engages oneshoulder of said notch; said outer radius and said flattened position ofsaid disc being engageable with saidsemi-stationary contactto move saidsemi-sationary contact to said disengaged and engaging positionrespectively. i

7. In a switch device having a plurality of axially arranged pairs ofstationary and rotatably movable contacts; each of said rotatablymovable contacts being rotatably movable into and out of engagement withtheir said respective stationary contact; one of said pairs ofstationary and rotatable contacts being constructed to have a momentarymake once throughout the switch operating cycle; said momentary makestationary contact being movable from a contact engaging position to acontact disengaged position; said momentary makerotatable contact havingan adaptor member associated therewith and'rotatable therewith for atleast a portion of therotation of said rotatable contact; said adaptormember being positionable by a predetermined rotation ofsaidmomentarymake rotatable contact to operatively engage said momentarymake stationary contact to its said contact disengaged position tothereby defeat contact engagement between said momentary make stationaryand rotatable contacts; said momentary make rotatable contactinitiallyrotating independently of said adaptor member and engaging saidmomentary make semi-stationary contact and thereafter moving saidadaptor member to move said momentary make semi-stationary contact tosaid contact disengaging position; said momentary make rotatable contactbeing thereafter incapable of re-engaging said momentary makesemistationary contact when the switch cycle is completed by moving saidmomentary make rotatable contact past said momentary make stationarycontact a second time; said adaptor member comprising a disc having anouter radius larger than the radius of said rotatable contact; said dischavinga flattened side and anotch therein; said rotatable contactbeingfreely rotatable movable within said notch and picking-up said disc forrotation therewith when said rotatable contact engages one shoulder ofsaid notch; said outer-radius and said flattened portion of said discbeing engageable with said semi-stationary contact to move saidsemi-stationary contact to said disengaged and engaging positionrespectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,366,994 r Winters et al Feb. l, 1921 1,905,228 James Apr. 25, 1933FOREIGN PATENTS ,714 121 w tz rl d. an -m l 4 1956

